Now, build your own smartphone-controlled toy robots

London: Engineers have developed magnetic robot construction kits which enable you to build your own smartphone-controlled toy robots that can drive and wiggle. The robot construction system called MOSS uses over-molded neodymium, “rare earth,” magnets and carbon steel ball bearings to build a wide variety of tiny robots. [caption id=“attachment_1222429” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. AFP[/caption] The system developed by Modular Robotics in Boulder, Colorado does not require coding or wiring your construction. By attaching a Bluetooth module, players can control the robots remotely using a smartphone or tablet. MOSS was created over 2.5 years and has been through numerous stages of development, its makers say. The blocks can be put together in many different ways to create unique robots, according to the company which launched the system on crowdfunding website Kickstarter. “We’re already making Moss so we don’t need the Kickstarter funding. But in 2013, it seems like the place where people look for cool new tech products,” chief executive and design director Eric Schweikardt told the BBC. The robots are powered with a rechargeable lithium polymer battery. Users can plug in with the included Micro-USB cable to recharge. The final version of the robot kits are expected to be ready as early as January or February. PTI